Help! which one??

[simon818]

Hi everyone,

just passed my CBT and would like to ask.......
opinions on HONDA CM 125 CUSTOM & SUZUKI INTRUDER VL 125 & Honda Shadow 125.

Thanks

[robertp]

Spend as little as you can cos you WILL want more VERY quickly...

[Al_g]

I agree with robert, buy a cheapie or better still spend the money on doing your DAS and get something a bit bigger, I did my CBT with a guy who had one of the intruders and although he quite liked it, it was very slow (top end about 62mph) i was all over him on a Yam sr 125. How about a nice Yamaha Virago 535? more go than a 125 and will keep you happier for longer me thinks :-)

Whatever you decide you'll love it, and by the way - welcome to the world of bikes :-)

[Davel]

Sorry but don't buy a 125 - cos you'll want something bigger within a couple of weeks/months.

A bigger engine doesn't always mean a beast of a bike.

[simon818]

Hi everyone,thanks for the welcome.

Yes, I could go for the DAS but then after my 4 day course I will still only have 5 day's experience (some 15 hours) on a motorbike. I have not riden before. I thought the 125's would help me gain confidence before taking the plunge. What do you think??

[Momentofmadness]

simon818 said:

Hi everyone,thanks for the welcome. Yes, I could go for the DAS but then after my 4 day course I will still only have 5 day's experience (some 15 hours) on a motorbike. I have not riden before. I thought the 125's would help me gain confidence before taking the plunge. What do you think??

I took the DAS route too - had one day on a CG125 (approx 5 hours total riding experience) then next day onto a 500cc!

The 125 will feel like a toy after the 500

[simon818]

Right then,

DAS it is.

[Al_g]

Good man, you know it makes sense!

[FunkyNige]

Another vote for DAS, in fact I felt much safer on the big bikes than the 125s, the big ones feel more planted to the road.
Quite a few people on here have gone straight from their DAS and bought a 600cc machine.

[andy4200]

DAS

No point wasting time doing 125's. The bigger bikes feel more stable too.

[Pigeon]

simon818 said:

Hi everyone,thanks for the welcome. Yes, I could go for the DAS but then after my 4 day course I will still only have 5 day's experience (some 15 hours) on a motorbike. I have not riden before. I thought the 125's would help me gain confidence before taking the plunge. What do you think??

I'm going to disagree with the others and say I think this is the right idea... a 125 has the advantages that you probably won't fall off going fast enough to hurt very much, and if the bike falls on you it's not very heavy. Also, to be pushing it, you'll be on back roads with little other traffic to hit. I'd say it's a jolly good idea to use a 125 to find out what bikes in general are basically like and how to explore the limits without the increased risk of damaging yourself from a bigger bike. Then when you do get a bigger bike, there's always a demand for 125s so you can probably sell it for pretty much the same as you paid for it.

[cerbone]

Go for the Yamaha Virago 535. It is not much heavier than a 125, will do 50 miles per gallon, and is basically bullet proof. A top speed of about 95 mph can be rung out of them but the wind is pulling your arms of so you always slow down to sensibility.

[Davel]

Sorry but I can't agree with Pigeon on this.

You can fall off a 50 or 90 cc moped and still hurt/kill yourself.

I'm not convinced that you wouldn't lose out buying and then re-selling a 125 cc in a few months time - unless you got a really good deal when buying.

Personally speaking, DAS is still the best way forward and you're learning more about riding a bigger more stable machine, whilst under direct supervision for longer - which surely must prepare you more for the road than a few hours on a CBT and then let loose on a 125.

Whatever route you take, the main thing is enjoy!

>> Edited by Davel on Thursday 4th August 16:02

[simon818]

Well, thanks everyone for your input.
I can see both sides of the coin equally here. Of course I would have liked to go and explore how the bike handles and all, but would that push my DAS further down the line? I just received my CD's today to prepare me for the Theory and Practical section. All in all I would want to pay extra for further tuition on a 500cc when I have passed as I would still not have had the experience of handling a bike that size ever before with only the tuition time earned.
I think this is the way I will go.....see how I feel tomorrow

[Al_g]

After 2 days of 500cc training as part of my 3 day DAS i was loads more confident on their CB500 (way more powerful than a virago535) than i ever would be on a 125. In fact after passing my test and riding a 600 for a while i had to ride a 125 when my mrs got her first bike and it was so light and jittery it scared the doo dahs out of me lol gimmie a big bike anyday, way safer (as long as you have a responsible attitude)

[and]

This is terribly irresponsible of me but.. do the DAS and buy a 600. I did my CBT & DAS together and bought a brand new ninja 2 weeks later. Depending on the type of riding you'll be doing - commuting/motorways? - a smaller bike can be just as dangerous probably because they're not as visible or stable at motorway speeds. Anyway that's my 2p worth.

[Momentofmadness]

Bigger bike is more stable, comfortable and has more 'road presence'

Buy the 125 and pushy cage drivers will be trying to overtake and undertake at every opportunity!

Ride safe and enjoy!!!

[Mark_SV]

Pigeon said:

I'm going to disagree with the others and say I think this is the right idea... a 125 has the advantages ... I'd say it's a jolly good idea to use a 125 to find out what bikes in general are basically like and how to explore the limits without the increased risk of damaging yourself from a bigger bike. Then when you do get a bigger bike, there's always a demand for 125s so you can probably sell it for pretty much the same as you paid for it.

Yes, that was my experience too. I'm very glad I had a 125 for a while before taking the plunge with DAS. (Although I can see both sides of the coin.)

Cheers

[simon818]

Just to add a touch more interest to this one,what's the advantage of having a water cooled engine rather than air cooled? is one faster, quieter, longer lasting.....